Refrigerant tank



Patented Nov. '23, 1926.

UNITED;

or rice.

ronosoonlvie & HOKEMANUFACIURING COMPANY,,.OF INnIANAroLIs, INDIANA,

A CGRPOE-ATION.

REFRIGERANT TANK.

Application filed August 14, 192k Seria1'Noi'73 1 B98f This invention pertainsto an ice container or bunker for use in connection with re frige'rat-ing show cases or the like, and re-" lates particularly to s the overflow control therefor.

it is the object of this invention to maintain a certain amount of brine in the bunker to the desired height, thereafter-permitting 1 ow into the brine pan.

Anothe ature of the invention. resides infthe c' X i .ction gf thelovesflow"pipe.' A- stand pipe is provided having its. lower end communicating with the ice bunker so that" the brine passes into the lower end thereof, pushing the-air out through the top; and ultimately overflowing through the top of 'l-pipe when the level of the ice-in erhus reached that height. A s further feature of the invention resides in the means-for draining the standpipe as well as controlling theheig'ht of the brinein the bunker, so that; it is not only possible to maintain one of two levels of brine. but prevents overflow when the bunker is" removed from the refrigerating; chamber for refilling. cleaning onany' otherpurpose. a I

The full nature of the"iirvention"will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following-5 description and claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of an ice containing bunker showing the overflow attachment mounted thereon. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section taken through the lowenportion of the overflow attachment with the valve in closed position. Fig. 3 is the same as the lower portion of Fig. 2, showing the valve moved to open position.

In the drawings there is shown an ice bunker 10 having a pair of downwardly ex tending leg-like chambers spaced apart at their lower end, there being provided on each side of each of said leg-like chambers the flanged rollers 11 adapted to ride upon a suitable track for-rolling the bunker out of the refrigerant chamber in which it is normally contained. Near the upper 'end of the bunker there is provided a pair of openings 12 closed by screens for retaining the ice therein and permitting the flow of air to pass therethrough.

Mounted between the spaced leg-like chambers of the ice bunker there is an overflow sta'ml-pipe' '18 extending upwardly from the connecting joint leyandabeingrin 0021b munication with the horizontallyextendmg pipes 15 and 16"wh1chareconnected withthe inner sides of the bunker-for permitting the brine to pass tlierethrough. It will here be: noted that the connections-of the hori zontal pipes 15" and 16 with" the bunke n are spaced atan: appreciabledistance abovethe bottom thereof-so that an amount of brine tothe depthvo-f 'the line; A A will always Connected with the heniaintained' therein.

"-wb' l 'l s connecting member l lthere is a downwardly-extendlng drain plpe 17 which 1s pro- \1Cl(l"\Vlt-ll a head 1'8'hav1ng an outlet passage-19 formed in the bottom thereof so 1 that when said passage is open", the brine may be-drai'ned from the stand-pipe 13am the bunker down to the level AA but when closed the drain pipe 17 will be nlled as well as the stand-pipe 13 so that the level "hw 1 1 .41 1. ,1 or 1111s in e unnei ll e main am o'n 'the line BB before overflowing. N

The head 18 isin'ternally screw threaded to receive valve'inember QOwhich is pro- VlCltl with a washer- 21 111 position to abut against-a suitable shoulder at "the lower end of th'e'drairr pipe 17' and prevent any outnew therefrom when closed. The valve 20 15 provided w tlra; valve, stem 22, which extends along "the bottom ofthe'bunker and is provided with ahandle 23 on the outer end thereof so as to be easlly accessible to the operator while the bunker is in the refrigerating chamber. The valve stem is rotatably supported from the bottom of the I bunker by a bearing clip 24.

In operation, when the bunker has been filled with ice and salt and is positioned within the refrigerating chamber of the freezer counter, and it is desired to maintain a brine level to the line BB, the valve is closed. The brine will then rise to the top of the stand-pipe 13 from which it will overflow into a suitable ice pan positioned under the bunker. If it is desired to maintain the level of brine at the line AA, the valve 23 is opened so that the brine will pass out through the drain pipe 17. Assuming that the brine level is BB and it is de-. sired to remove the bunker forrefilling, the valve 23 is first opened so that the brine will be discharged to the level AA, after which the valve will be closed and the bunker removed. There will accordingly be no drip from the bunker while removed, since it will have been replaced again before the level of the brine would reach the line BB, thus doing away with the necessity of employing an under pan to catch the drip while the bunker is in removed position.

The invention claimed is 1. In an ice bunker for refrigerators, a vertically-extending ice-containing chamber, a drain pipe communicating therewith at a given point above the bottom thereof and having a discharge opening below said chamber, whereby the ice meltings will be maintained in said chamber up to a given level therein above which level said meltings will be free to flow therefrom, a valve positioned in the lower end of said drain pipe, and a valve stem suspended from the bottom of said ice bunker and accessible from the exterior thereof for controlling said valve and permitting said drain pipe to be closed for preventing drainage of the meltings when desired.

2. In an ice bunker for refrigerators, a pair of ice-receiving leg portions spaced apart at the bottom and joined at the top, a common overflow conduit positioned between said leg portions and communicating therewith at a substantial distance above the bottom, whereby the ice meltings will be contained therein to a given depth, a standpipe extending upwardly from said drain pipe and open at the top thereof at a level substantially below the top of said bunker, and a valve below said leg portions and said stand pipe for opening and closing said drain pipe, whereby the meltings from the ice will be retained in said bunker to the height of said stand-pipe and overflow from the top thereof when said valve is closed.

8. In an ice bunker for refrigerators, a pair of ice-receiving chambers spaced apart at their lower end and connected at their upper end, a conduit mounted between said chambers and communicating therewith at a point substantially above the bottom thereof, a stand-pipe communicating with said conduit and open at the top'for permitting overflow from the top thereof, said stand-pipe extending to a point near the connection between said chambers, a drain pipe extending downwardly from said conduit and communicating therewith, said drain pipe being provided with an outlet port at the lower end thereof, a valve for controlling said port, and a valve stem extending under one of said chambers and accessible from the exterior thereof for controlling the position of said valve, whereby the meltings from the ice may be discharged through said drain pipe for maintaining a level in the plane with said conduit or may be caused to pass upwardly through said stand-pipe and overflow the top thereof for maintaining a level in said chambers at the discharge height thereof.

4. An ice bunker for refrigerators comprising a unitary structure including a pair of spaced ice receiving legs, an overflow pipe outside of and common to both of said legs and disposed above the bottoms there of, a stand pipe rising from said overflow pipe and entirely outside said legs, a drain pipe depending from said overflow pipe and having its lower end disposed below the bottoms of said legs, and a valve in said lower end.

In witness whereof, we have hereunto affixed our signatures.

GEORGE H. ROSSEBO. HOMER l VALTMAN. 

